Crapshoot #1: Responding to the Iraq speech tonight

Yes this is what it's come to ladies and gentlemen: sitting on a toilet while laying down some smack about what needs to be said...In this first (last?) edition of what I'm calling "Crapshoot with Christopher Knight" I'm responding to President Bush's speech tonight about the Iraq war. Among things getting discussed are why American involvement in Iraq was doomed from the start, why Iraq is currently incapable of sustaining "democracy", and the hypocrisy of Bush wanting to protect Iraq's borders while doing nothing about our own.

This is a much better video than my first video blog post that I did yesterday. Think I've gotten into a good groove now when it comes to speaking into a camera for an audience of... what, four or five? :-) Some friends provided great feedback on that first video, that I'm trying my best to take to heart. Anyway, here's a new one. Enjoy!

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George W. Bush has become John Kerry!

I'm following my usual custom with political speeches like this: listening to the TV, without actually watching it. That way I can home in on what the message really is, without being distracted by visual imagery.

So I'm laughing at Bush right now because the man has very obviously become John Kerry...

John Kerry in 2004: "I have a plan."

George W. Bush in 2007: "This plan can work!"

How did America get to the point where someone this shallow and disattached from reality could become President?

EDIT 9:32 PM EST: Bush said that "...our policy should focus on protecting Iraq’s borders..."

When is he going to get around to protecting OUR borders? You know: the borders of the country that he swore an oath to uphold and defend?

Good lord, we really do have a deranged man in the White House, don't we?

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Finally beat MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE

This was by far one of the most satisfying videogame experiences I've ever had. I've been hooked on this game and the other two that I got for Christmas. The Godfather: The Game is an incredibly deep and immersive work of art that I've gotten a bit into but wanted to give myself a lot more time to explore and really "get involved" with it. Call of Duty: Finest Hour is kicking my butt: I still can't get past that first Stalingrad mission.

So I've been playing the heck out of Marvel Ultimate Alliance and a short while ago finished it, with just less than 30 hours put into the effort. I used every character at least once except Daredevil, who I couldn't unlock until late in the game. For the final battle I used Spider-Man (wearing the Stark Armor), Wolverine (in Classic costume), Deadpool (in Assassin gear) and Thor (wearing Asgardian Armor). It's a very tough battle involving not just Doctor Doom - who now has god-like powers - but multiple evil duplicates of the Fantastic Four. By the end of the fight only Deadpool and Thor were still standing and fittingly enough I was able to use Thor to deliver the finishing blow.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance delivered what may be the most awe-inspiring moment I've ever beheld playing a videogame. Last night I got to the missions on the Skrull planet. As soon as I saw Galactus walking in the background I was like "Daaaaaaaammmmmm..." The guy is positively huge! We're talking as big as a mountain. And then he finally takes notice of you and when he starts coming after you... well, let's say that I'm keeping the saved game from just before that point, just to show anyone who comes over so I can see their eyeballs get all bugged-out. When you finally engage Galactus, you are in for one of the coolest videogame sequences in the history of anything as the Silver Surfer zips all around the world devourer's head. Just simply amazing. This was from the original Xbox version: if/when I get an Xbox 360 I can't wait to see what this scene looks like on that.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance is one of the most epic games I've ever played, and the ending sets itself wide-open for a follow-up that might be just as staggering. Yeah it has a number of bugs (that I hope will get ironed-out in the sequel) but those are easily overlooked for how fun it is to play. Definitely recommended no matter what platform you happen to own.

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Closing out the books

Five months after its inception, a little while ago I closed out the Knight for School Board 2006 Committee. So legally I am no longer a committee and can go back to being an individual :-)

Today was the deadline for the fourth quarter reports, which if you miss it then it becomes a $50 a day fine up to $500 until you do file it. Which I'm not really a procrastinator: I just like to make sure EVERYTHING is in order before turning it in. There wasn't much to report: between the last report I made a few weeks before the election I had only made one expenditure - which was $250 for the newspaper ad - and no contributions. So while I was there I turned in the paperwork that officially closes out the campaign.

'Twas a heckuva neat ride, in spite of not winning a seat. If I could do this all over even knowing that I wasn't going to win a seat, I would definitely have still done it. Who knows: I might just go for it again next year :-)

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Video Blog #1: Various Rants

Behold, my first-ever video blog post!

Topics discussed: America without real leadership, individualism, political parties, Democrats, Republicans, the Iraq war, Nancy Pelosi, George W. Bush, unsecured borders, manufacturing and industry, 2008 presidential election, history.

I may do more of these. It was a lot of fun putting together. The song is "Road Movie to Berlin" by They Might Be Giants, in case anyone's wondering.

EDIT 10:06 AM EST 01-10-2007: I'm watching this again and, it could have been a little better. Sometimes people notice that I tend to blink a lot, which is 'cuz my eyes are VERY sensitive to light (I can see much better at night or in a dark room than most people can, is one neat thing about it). It also tends to ramble a bit. But this was my first time trying this so this was something of a "trial run". The next ones should be more focused/concise and somewhat briefer.

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KING KONG Extended Edition DVD

Lisa got me the King Kong: Extended Edition DVD for Christmas and we finally found time this afternoon to watch the movie (I've already been checking out the extra content). This is the King Kong that Peter Jackson released a little over a year ago in 2005 and just as he did with The Lord of the Rings, he filmed a ton more stuff that he waited to put on a "special release" DVD. Here's the review I did when the movie first came out and since then, after watching it on DVD a few more times, Peter Jackson's King Kong is easily one of the most beautiful - and haunting - things I've seen so far as recent movies go. If you liked the original version, you'll love King Kong: Extended Edition. More than 13 minutes of new footage has been incorporated into the film including when the rescue party is attacked by a charging dinosaur not long after going through the gate. And another scene where Denham, Jack and the rest are ambushed by Skull Island's aquatic wildlife while crossing water on rafts. A few other additions give some more depth to the characters. Also included in the set are almost 40 minutes of deleted scenes, a few making-of documentaries and "The Eighth Blunder of the World": a hilarious blooper reel. Definitely something to add to your DVD collection if you already enjoyed Peter Jackson's King Kong.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Seasons greetings to our friends in many of the Orthodox churches who are celebrating Christmas today. Merry Christmas!

(Christmas is celebrated by a lot of Orthodox Christians on January 7th, because this is the original date of the holiday per the original Julian calendar.)

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Five things you didn't know about me

Shane Thacker "tagged" me so now I gotta play along and give five things that most people probably don't know about me...

1. I wrecked my first car when I was two years old.

2. One of my favorite things to eat is a home-made pepperoni pizza with lots of sauce, then drizzle it plenty with Paul Newman's Olive Oil and Vinegar Salad Dressing before putting it in the oven. Some people think that sounds gross but I think a pizza done "Chris Knight style" is delicious.

3. In eighth grade there was this girl who kept thinking that I was her boyfriend. She wouldn't leave me alone and she kept telling everyone that we were "going steady". So I put a stop to that... by sending her divorce papers.

4. I once got lost at night and stopped to ask for directions at a church... that was having a snake-handling service.

5. Whenever I'm in church I don't sing the hymns: I whistle them.

I'll tag Chad and Jenna.

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Christian theology and G.I. Joe

My friend Doug Smith has been posting some good theological musings on his Myspace page lately. Here's one that's particularly clever.

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Bizarre IT setups

Pretty hilarious thread on Slashdot where people are posting about all the whacked-out stuff they've seen on corporate IT systems. I'm still laughing about the accounting department that backed up its data on VHS tapes.

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Nancy Pelosi: THIS is leadership?

From new House speaker Nancy Pelosi:

"We have waited over 200 years for this time to come," Mrs. Pelosi said on the eve of her selection as speaker, a position that makes her second in line to the presidency after Vice President Dick Cheney.

"We will not just break through a glass ceiling, we will break through a marble ceiling," she said. "In more than 200 years of history, there was an established pecking order -- and I cut in line."

After calling herself "the most powerful woman in America," Mrs. Pelosi flexed her right muscle like a weight lifter to much applause at an event yesterday titled a "women's tea."

"All right, let's hear it for the power," she screamed as the jubilant applause continued.

"...Let's hear it for the power"?

Calling herself "the most powerful woman in America"?

I can't imagine any of the Founders talking like this.

Gerald Ford certainly would have never talked like this. This kind of thinking probably never even entered his mind.

Elected officials who are this blatant about love of power are... well, dangerous.

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Does America have any freedom anymore?

President Bush is now saying the government can open your mail without a warrant.

We've had so many freedoms and liberties diminished or even destroyed under this President, that can it really be said that America is a free country at all anymore?

Here's something that bugs me: the most persistent of Bush's lackeys and followers are using the same tactics to deride critics of this man that were used by those faithful to Hitler back in the 1930s. I've actually heard some - quite seriously - say that to disagree with Bush is to exhibit mental illness. No doubt that those of us bringing up how wrong this latest action by Der Decider is will be called "unpatriotic" and "fifth columnist" by those who follow Fearless Leader because we dared question his "brilliant strategery".

I can't begin to describe how loathesome I find this kind of blind allegiance to a party or an individual... neither one of which has done anything honorable to command our loyalty.

The Democrats are taking control of the House and Senate today. Why should that even matter? The news channels are all over this story but the reality of it is: nothing will change. We just get one pack of jackals taking turns with another for a slobbering bite out of the fatted lamb that is the American people.

I know some people who were genuinely bothered that the Republicans were swept out in November. Personally, it made no difference to me. Because I understand that no matter who has the House and Senate, regardless of which party has "the power", that this country is still going to suffer loss. We are losing jobs and industry to foreign competitors. We are losing control over our borders. We are losing the right to determine our own destinies. We have lost having a government that is accountable to us. We are losing young people in needless conflict in a situation with no clear goal. We have lost basic liberties like freedom from unwarranted searches and seizures...

Why should I expect things to get any better just because another political party now has the reins?

When does this abuse of power stop?

This country now owes the old Soviet Union an apology. The United States government is doing the very same things that it used to brand the Communists in that country as evil for doing. At least the Soviets were honest enough to admit that they had only one political party running everything. We keep telling ourselves that we have "a choice".

Well, here's the choice as I see things: we either let "them" keep getting away with it. Or we could stop watching the damned football game and put down the PlayStation controller and quit drinking the cheap booze long enough to give "them" a hard kick straight in the ass.

And then keep kicking them while they're down. Kick them in the face, in the kidney, in the groin. Keep kicking them until they don't move anymore.

Either something changes real soon, or else we're looking down that same dark path that Hitler and Stalin and Pol Pot and damned too many other insane men have took their people.

And to anyone who still thinks that George W. Bush is "a good Christian man" and a "wise leader": I feel sorry for you. Decades from now, historians are going to look back on this period and wonder aloud "who were these poor delusioned fools that pledged their allegiance to such a morally damaged person?"

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Want a PlayStation 3?

I came back a little while ago from the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Reidsville and they have about six PlayStation 3s for sale: the 60 gig variety at $599. This is the very first time I've ever seen a PlayStation 3 for sale in a retail store. So if you live in the area and have six hundred bucks burning a hole in your pocket and you want one, you know where to go.

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Farewell to one of the last decent Presidents

The Washington D.C. portion of the funeral for Gerald R. Ford just ended. His casket is now being loaded on a plane that will take it to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where it will lie in repose at the Ford Presidential Museum before interrment tomorrow.

I can't help but think how we are saying goodbye to maybe one of the very last decent men who ever or will ever take on the office of President.

The President of the United States of America isn't something that a person should want to be. If somebody earnestly wants to be President, then they don't deserve to be President. The person who wants the job only wants the power and affluence that comes with it, not the opporutunity to serve others. This office demands nothing elss than absolute humility and integrity.

Gerald Ford didn't want to be President. I don't know if he ever entertained the notion of running for the post. The biggest he let himself dream about was becoming Speaker of the House. And when he got into the Oval Office, he brought the best attributes that one could ever hope to find in a President.

Here's what I keep thinking about: you never saw Gerald Ford going so far as to try and destroy another person in order to secure the Presidency.

Think about that in comparison to the jockeying that's going on already for the 2008 election. Think about that in comparison to the last few elections we've already had.

I doubt Gerald Ford would have let someone like Karl Rove run his campaign, much less let him in the White House.

Do you think that Ford would have let our soldiers' lives be wasted for no meaning in some distant God-forsaken land, out of political stubbornness? No: unlike some Presidents, Gerald Ford actually saw combat. He knew the full value of human life, because he'd seen how fragile it really is.

Ford loved his wife. He would never betray his faithfulness to her. Four short presidencies later we had to watch a far lesser man abuse the office to satiate his lust.

I see Hillary and McCain and Edwards and the rest... and I can only shake my head in disbelief at what our country has come to, if these are the finest candidates for President in 2008. Like I said, nobody should want to be President. Well, all of these people do want it. One of them is going to get it, because our entire system of two-party domination and their media cronies and big corporatism has darn well guaranteed that ONLY those "picked to win" will get the office. We have come to have a political feudal system, where only a certain "elite" are allowed to be elected to higher office in this land. Nobody who wants to actually serve with an honest heart is allowed in the game. It's been that way for some time... and unfortunately it looks like things are going to have to go from bad to worst before that ever changes.

We don't have anyone of Gerald Ford's caliber on the political scene anymore, at least so far as President goes. And I wonder if it's possible that we ever will see someone like him again.

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Excellent upconverting DVD player for your HDTV

About a month ago I wrote here about how I was looking for a new DVD player with "upconversion" capability to complement our new 37" LCD high-definition TV set. Well, I wound up with one for Christmas from my parents and to say that I'm impressed would be an understatement...

The Philips DVP 5960 DVD player. I was expecting some marked improvement in picture quality over the regular DVD player we've had for a few years, that was hooked-up to the HDTV set with component cables. Instead I was flat-out stunned. Sending its input to the set via HDMI, visual quality is amazing! Earlier today we watched Cars on it and you wouldn't believe how shiny and life-like Lightning McQueen's hood looked: almost as if you could reach out and touch it. I've tried this player with a few movies like Revenge of the Sith, King Kong and Batman Begins and the difference between the Philips upconverting player and standard DVD was like between night and day. I was really impressed with how The Matrix looked: easily the best I've ever seen in a home environment. We are talking getting a darned-near high-def image out of standard DVDs... and at 1080i too!

But that's not all folks: the Philips DVP 5960 also plays DivX AVI files from your computer. Just burn them to a CD-ROM or a blank DVD disc and insert it into the player. I watched some of the Doctor Who and Lost episodes that I've been downloading from file torrent and although the image quality is not as good as DVD, I'd say it's still excellent enough.

And that's still not all! This player also has a USB 1.1 port that can play videos from portable flash drives or from an external hard drive. It also plays MP3s and can display JPEG images with excellent quality.

It's going to be quite a long time before we - and probably any of us for that matter - commit to a high-definition DVD player. It's still way too early to see whether HD-DVD or Blu-Ray is going to come out on top. Plus, factor in that the high-definition discs are becoming notorious for how easily they are damaged, and the general lack of titles in either format. But if you want to get the absolute most out of your HDTV set and from your existing DVD library, check out the Philips DVP 5960. This one was going for about eighty bucks at Best Buy the other week. Heck, you'll probably spend more on that darned-falootin' high-dollar HDMI cable than you will for the player itself (not to mention an HDMI switch box if you don't want to bother with plugging in a different cable every time you want to watch TV or DVD). Highly recommended for HDTV owners.

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Latest rush: MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE, CALL OF DUTY and THE GODFATHER on Xbox

This year's prize for Most Uber-Neato Christmas Gift has got to be what "Weird" Ed got from his lovely bride Olivia this first holiday season with them as a married couple: an old-school Nintendo Entertainment System, complete with light gun and 20 games! Can't begin to say how envious I am of the guy. I wound up giving my NES to a little cousin about twelve years ago along with most of the games. Which I'm glad he got to enjoy it but over the years, some of those games have become real classics, y'know?

Yeah, we're now in "the seventh generation" or whatever of videogames and that's supposed to mean that we are now meant to be playing only on Xbox 360s and PlayStation 3s and Wiis... but a videogame system is never obsolete so long as there are people who love to play games on them. Heck, there are still plenty of people around who get their kicks out of playing on the Atari 2600 VCS, and that system is almost thirty years old! I know a few folks who keep their Super Nintendo Systems around to play Super Mario World (a game which took me over three years to beat on the Gameboy Advance, by the way).

Well, Lisa and I got an Xbox two years ago, and the only reason I can see for us "upgrading" to an Xbox 360 anytime soon is when Halo 3 comes out next year. We're still getting a lot of mileage out of the Xbox and even the Gamecube that we got for Christmas our first year of marriage. Thank goodness than when we get a Wii eventually that all the Gamecube games will play on that. I wish the Xbox 360 was as backward compatible. But we aren't looking to stop using the Xbox anytime soon. One good reason is that the Xbox 360 has yet to have any games like Karaoke Revolution and Dance Dance Revolution for it. Either made for the system or with a "software profile" made for them for backward compatibility. And those get more play in this house than anything else.

Well, for Christmas I got Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 4 for Lisa. And I wound up with a few games that I'm only now really getting into 'cuz of how sick I've been this past week. But now I'm finding it very hard to put them down, for various reasons...

Mom got me Call of Duty: Finest Hour 'cuz we were in Best Buy the week before Christmas and she was complaining that I hadn't put anything on my "Christmas list" this year... which is 'cuz I've been too busy running for office and other stuff. I spotted Call of Duty: Finest Hour and told her she could get me this. World War II first-person shooter is a new genre to me, even though it's been out for awhile (unless you count Wolfenstein 3-D from back in the day). I like this game a lot... but it's VERY hard! I'm still stuck in the first few levels playing a Russian soldier. I've heard the most recent installment in this series, Call of Duty 3, is supposed to be really good.

Lisa surprised me with The Godfather: The Game, which she remembered my being interested in getting way back months ago but I got so wrapped up in things, I'd forgotten that I really wanted this game. Now I've got it... and I feel like I'm getting way too drawn into this game. It tracks the plot of the movies very well, giving you something of a "parallel" storyline taking place alongside the first two movies. It's incredibly detailed and engaging: so much so that I wound up buying the strategy guide for this game, because otherwise I really might get lost. So much illegal activity you can do in The Godfather: The Game like protection rackets, prostitution and assassination. Stuff that caters to the dark creature lurking in the back of everyone's id. I'm a huge fan of the movies and will admit to sometimes having fantasies of living the Corleone lifestyle... now I get that chance :-)

Marvel Ultimate Alliance was one game that I'd asked for but didn't get, so I went out and bought it at the nearby Wal-Mart the next day. I've been wanting to play this game for a few months now, and it has not disappointed! It's an action role-playing game where you assemble a team of four Marvel Comics character from a huge roster of heroes, fighting to stop this mad plot for world domination by longtime Marvel baddie Doctor Doom. You start off with Captain America, Spider-Man, Thor and Wolverine, but it's not long before you can mix up your team with other characters like Iron Man, Elektra and Deadpool... or even field entire established teams like the Fantastic Four. VERY awesome graphics and gripping gameplay. Definitely something to recommend for whatever system you may have.

So that's how I'm spending my leisure time lately: fighting the Nazis, being a soldier for the Cosa Nostra, and saving the world from the Masters of Evil. Who could ask for anything more? :-)

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Happy New Year 2007

No, I will not be eating black-eyed peas and collared greens for dinner tonight. That trick never works anyway...

But Happy New Year to you and yours :-)

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